Fruit-picker or pruner



(No Model.)

I. O. STETSON. -FRUIT PIGKEB 0R PRUNER.

No. 516,556. Patented Mar. 13, 1894,

1 THE NATIONAL UYHOGRAFNING coMPANY. WASHINGTON. b c.

Usrrrno YATES;

ISAAC O. STETSON, OF DAMARISOOT'IA, MAINE.

FRUIT-PICKER OR PRUNERr SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 516,556, dated March 13,1894. Application filed March 2, 1893. Serial No. 464,429. (No model.)

To all whom it'may concern.-

Be it known that I, ISAAC O.'STETSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Damariscotta, in the county of Lincoln and State of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fruit-Pickers or Pruners; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art towhich it appertains to make and use the same.

Figure 1, is a perspective view of this device ready for use. Fig. 2, is a detail in perspective showing the pruning fingers of the grab; Fig. 3, views in detail showing the cutting edge of the grab finger; Fig. 4, sectional detail of the lower end of the chute; Fig. 5, a detail showing the top of the chute attached to the handle by wires.

This invention belongs to that general class of devices known as fruit pickers and the novelty in the present instance consists in the construction of the several parts, in their combination with each other and in the device as a whole all as will now be more fully set forth and explained as well as pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings A, denotes any suitable handle,- preferably made of wood and in a single piece or jointed as at a. To the top of this handle is fastened by its socket or in any convenientway or manner the fruit grab B. This is usually made of cast metal and has at one end a socket b, screw threaded or otherwise, and at the other the bent fingers b. It is preferred to have four of these, but of course the number may be less or greater. When this grab is thus placed on the end of 'handle A, it will come somewhat centrally over the open top of the chute or spout O, which is adjustably attached by the extended ends of the wire a, to the slide a, on the upperend of the handle A, just below the socketed end of the grab. Thus its position can be regulated at will by means of the set screw (1 which passes through the free ends of the slide. It may be best to have the ends of the wire 0, where they start from the open mouth of the chute as in Fig. 5, properly bent so as to embrace the handle staff while the free ends are held by set screw or clamp a To assist in holding up the top of the chute there is provided the wire support 0 the ends of which are attached at each side and toward the front of the wire a, about the chute top, while the free ends embrace the stafi of the handle or the shank of the grab above the ends of wire a, and are here adjust-ably secured or held by clamp or set screw like as the ends of wire a.

- The chute or spout C, is preferably made of canvas or any textile material and is sufficiently long to extend down near to the end of the handle so that the fruit may have but little way to drop from its end into a basket or any convenient receptacle. Preferably at points along its length it is detachably secured as by chain or cord 0 and screw eye 0. to the handle. Also at its lower end it is secured detachably to the handle in a similar manner at c, and a The lower end 0 of the chute is somewhat curved so that the fruit in sliding down may be gently delayed in its passage before it finally drops from the delivery end 0 It may be best to have a partition c", a little above the beginning of the delivery and so that the fruit as it passes from the bend may first touch that and thus more effectually deaden the force of its fall.

The second or third of the bent fingers of the grab can be utilized as means for pruning, by inserting the cutting blade D, along the length of the finger. Preferably this blade is detachably secured to the finger by screws or otherwise.

In operating the device as a fruit picker it may be best to exercise care so as to use the space between the first and second and third and fourth fingers and thus the fruit will be pulled or plucked so as to preserve the stem. But if accidentally, or otherwise; the stem comes between the second and third fingers the device can be so handled that it will not necessarily out the stem of the fruit.

The use of the device as a pruner can be carried out in the best manner, though obviously very large branches cannot be cut by it. Yet as the largest part of pruning'fruit trees relates to the removal of small branches or twigs my device is adapted for about all the needs the fruit grower will have in mere clipping and trimming of the trees.

hat I claim is- 1. The combination of the handle, with the grab having bent fingers, and the chute or spout adj ustably attached near the upper end of the handle and provided with'wires adustably attached to the handle to hold its open end in close relation to the fingers of the grab, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the handle with the grab having bent fingers, and the chute or spout 0, having at its upper end the wires acljustably attached to the handle to hold its mouth open and also in close relation to the fingers of the grab, and other wires to sustain it adjustably to and on the handle, and alsoprovided with means along, its length for attaching it to the handle, and having a bent or curved lower end provided with a partition, whereby the descent of the fruit is regulated, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ISAAC C. STETSON. Witnesses:

EMERSON HILTON, WM. H. HILTON. 

